The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday warned that COVID-19 cases will peak by September or October this year.

In a report by DZRH’s Jecelle Ricafort, DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea De Guzman said their projection shows there will be an increase in hospital admissions in the next coming months.

She also said that there is a current increase in hospital utilization rate in the country.

But De Guzman asserted that the projection can be prevented if the number of Filipinos who will receive their COVID-19 booster shots will increase.

"Alam niyo kami, ayaw natin na magka-totoo ang projections na yun. Gusto natin mapigilan mangyari yung mga projections na yun. [Kaya] para safe tayo, sinasabi ng projections na magpa-booster tayo," she said in a speech during "Pinas lakas" event, a nationwide vaccination program under the Marcos administration.

In the recent report by the health department, it recorded 43,213 active COVID-19 cases nationwide.

The total tally of nationwide cases reached over 3,790,00. About 3,695,000 have been fully recovered and over 60,700 deaths recorded.

Meanwhile, DOH Underhealth Secretary and officer-in-charge (OIC) Ma. Rosario Vergeire reported on Friday that 95 additional cases of Omicron BA.5 subvariant have been detected in the country.